Polio

Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus. It invades the nervous system, and can cause total paralysis in a matter of hours. The virus enters the body through the mouth and multiplies in the intestine. Initial symptoms are fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness in the neck and pain in the limbs. One in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis (usually in the legs). Among those paralysed, 5%-10% die when their breathing muscles become immobilized.

Worldwide, Polio cases have decreased by over 99 percent since 1988, from an estimated more than 350 000 cases to 1912 reported cases in 2006 (as of 16 January 2007). This reduction is the result of the global effort to eradicate the disease. Today, only four countries in the world remain polio-endemic (India, Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan).

Picture Gallery 19 Images over 2 pages. [1] [2]

Boy with Polio © World Health Organisation - P. Virot The Amar Jyoti Rehabilitation and Research Centre in Delhi, India is a voluntary organisation rendering rehabilitative services to persons with disabilities through inclusive and integrated education, medical care, vocational training, child guidance and self-employment since 1981. Worldwide, Polio cases have decreased by over 99 percent since 1988, from an estimated more than 350 000 cases to 1912 reported cases in 2006 (as of 16 January 2007). This reduction is the result of the global effort to eradicate the disease. Today, only four countries in the world remain polio-endemic (India, Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan).